Palacio de Cristal del Retiro

Designed by Ricardo Velázquez Bosco, the Palacio de Cristal (Crystal Palace) was built in the Buen Retiro Park in 1887 to house an exotic plant exhibit from the Philippines, then a Spanish colony. The domed glass structure, built with an arching wrought-iron frame, is modeled after Joseph Paxton’s Crystal Palace in London. Madrid’s version is now part of the Museo Reina Sofía (Queen Sofia Museum), which uses the bright, airy building as a rotating art gallery. Exhibits often include large installations designed specifically for the palace. Alongside the structure, an artificial lake is home to ducks, swans, and cypress trees.

Palacio de Cristal del Retiro

Designed by Ricardo Velázquez Bosco, the Palacio de Cristal (Crystal Palace) was built in the Buen Retiro Park in 1887 to house an exotic plant exhibit from the Philippines, then a Spanish colony. The domed glass structure, built with an arching wrought-iron frame, is modeled after Joseph Paxton’s Crystal Palace in London. Madrid’s version is now part of the Museo Reina Sofía (Queen Sofia Museum), which uses the bright, airy building as a rotating art gallery. Exhibits often include large installations designed specifically for the palace. Alongside the structure, an artificial lake is home to ducks, swans, and cypress trees.